Piler stacker apparatus



y 1968 J. l. GREENBERGER 3,384,249

FILER STACKER APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Shem 1 I NV ENTOR.

JOSEPH J GRfE/VBEQGEQ ATTORNEY.

y 1968 J. GREENBERGER 3,384,249

FILER STACKER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1965 INVENTOR. J05P// I. 6M9Q6A United States Patent 3,384,249 PILER STACKER APPARATUS Joseph Irwin Greenberger, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,082

r 2 Claims. (Cl. 214--6) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an apparatus for piling or stacking elongated workpieces, such as, slabs, billets, bars and the like and, more particularly, to such an apparatus suitable for use in combination with a rolling mill or continuous casting machine.

There has been a long-existent problem area concerned with the handling and piling for intermediate still storage of elongated workpieces. This problem typically exists following operations such as a bloom or billet mill or a continuous casting plant. Following these operations, many individual lengths of a constant section are delivered to areas for ultimate intermediate still storage. Presently, cradles and other systems are used which deliver scrambled, unsymmetrical bundles to the storage area.

In view of the fact that the workpieces usually have a substantially square or rectangular cross-section characteristic, it is highly desirable to gather them after they have left the rolling mill into a form representative of a welldefined stack or pile. In this way the stack or pile of workpieces can be handled more conviently and stored in such a way that a minimum amount of space is utilized. T herealso is a resulting substantial saving in labor time that would otherwise be required to individually manipulate the workpieces should they fall out of the bundle when the chain or other restraining element used to transport them is removed.

The present invention is addressed to a device that can be employed either to pile or stack a number of workpieces into a rectangular or square pile such that individual workpieces can be readily separated from the pile or stack.

More particularly, the present invention relates to providing a first station in which workpieces are handled individually; a second station wherein the workpieces constitute part of a stack or pile of workpieces. Intermediate these two stations there is provided a member adapted to transfer the workpieces from one station to the other station whereby, in a given case, a plurality of workpieces can be transferred as a partial portion of the pile or stack of workpieces.

In one form of the present invention there is provided a first station at which elongated workpieces are individually positioned, said first station being at a first elevation. A second station at Which the individual workpieces are transferred for arranging in a pile; said second station being at a different elevation than the first station. A member arranged intermediate said first and second station adapted to receive from said first station one or more workpieces for transmission to the second station wherein the workpieces will be arranged and positioned so as to become an integrally dividable part of the pile formed in said second station and means for transferring said workpieces from said first station to said member and from said second station to the pile to be formed.

In another form, the member positioned between said first and second stations consists of a rotating arm having at least two surfaces which, when rotated so as to transfer the workpieces from the first station to the second station, the arm will support the workpieces in two directions.

These features as well as others will be more clearly ice understood when the following specification is read along with the accompanying drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a billet piling machine incorporating the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along lines IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of a second embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 3.

With reference to the drawings, particularly FIGURES 1 and 2, there is illustrated a roller table 10 consisting of a number of spaced-apart rollers 11 which are driven and supported in the usual manner. Table 10 serves as conveyor for billets issuing from the preceding machines which, as previously mentioned, could be either a rolling mill or casting machine. As FIGURE 2 indicates the billets are transferred by the table 10 to a position transversely of a stationary platform 14. This platform, being arranged at the same elevation as the top surface of the rollers 10, is long enough to receive a number of workpieces. The workpieces from the table 10 are transferred onto the platform 14 by a pusher ram assembly 15 which consists of a plurality of fingers 16 connected to a ram 17, the ram having a rack 18 which is driven by a gear 19 that is, in turn, connected to a drive 21 by means of a shaft 20. As FIGURE 1 indicates the ram extends substantially the full length of the table 10 and carries a number of fingers 16. On the other side of the pusher there is a similar ram which is connected to the shaft 20 by a construction similar to the one previously described. Both rams, hence, are driven by a common drive 21. As can be seen by referring to FIGURE 2, the finger 16 is constructed with a pusher surface disposed relative to the top of the table roller 11 so as to properly engage the minimum and maximum size billet which is indicated in FIGURE 2.

Adjacent the end of the platform '14 opposite a table 10 there is provided a plurality of spaced-apart finger members 23, each having a supporting surface 24. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, when the fingers are in the upright position, the surfaces 24 are in line with supporting surface of the platform 14. The surface 24, as in dicated, is sufficiently long to handle a number of the maximum size billets. The first billet positioned on the finger 23 will engage the portion 25 of the finger which will serve to carry the weight of the billets when the finger is rotated. As illustrated, the fingers are formed as an integral part .of a shaft 26 which is arranged parallel to the billet lengths. To this shaft there is connected a bracket 27 which is, in turn, secured to the rod end 28 of a piston cylinder assembly 29 that is trunnion mounted on a base 31. As FIGURE 1 indicates two cylinders are shown mounted at each end of the shaft 26 and serving to rotate the fingers 23 in unison. 'For shortmaximum billet lengths, one cylinder at one end may be employed.

Passing from the fingers 23 in a direction toward the right of the drawing and directly below the fingers 23, there is provided a plurality of skids 32, being spaced apart and arranged with respect to the fingers 23 so that the fingers can pass between the respective skids. As FIGURES 2 and 3 clearly indicate, upon rotation of the fingers 23 the group of billets, consisting of a dividable portion of the stack to be formed, are disposed from the horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. While in this position, they are adapted to be transferred onto the skids. I

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, this is accomplished by a second pusher ram assembly 34 which 'has pusher heads 35 connected to a cross member'36 that is, in turn, connected to a pair of rams 37. To these rams there is secured rack gears 38 which are driven by gears 39 that are connected to drive shafts d1 of a common drive 42.

With reference again to the pusher heads 35, it will be noted that they are formed with a sufficient height to engage the maximum number of billets to be carried by the fingers 23. It will also be noted that, asshown in FIGURE 3, the vertical billet engaging surface of the heads 35 is slightly inclined to the vertical thereby imparting a degree of stability to the billets while they are transferred. As can be noted in FIGURE 1, the heads 35 are spaced to one side of the fingers 23 so that they will not interfere with the fingers when the rams are advanced to engage the stack of workpieces to push them over the skids 32 to a position where the stack or pile is to be formed. At the bottom of each head 35, there is formed a supporting and guiding projection 43 that fits into a groove 44 formed in the skids 32, the groove being shown only in "FIGURE 1, which serves to guide the head during its traverse movement.

It is important to point out that if desired the fingers 23 are rotated an amount less than that which would present the stack of workpieces at right angles to the skid plates, thereby preventing a tendency of the pile to fall over.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, after a number of rows of workpieces have been positioned on the skids, a carrying member is adapted to be brought below the pile of workpieces and lift the workpieces off the skids so that another pile can be formed.

In certain cases it may be desirable to handle billets substantially shorter in length than that shown on the table in FIGURE 1 and to form simultaneously more than one pile. To facilitate this, in referring to FIG- URES 1 and 2, there are provided two stops 45 and 46, although any number may be employed, intermediate the table rollers. These stops each comprise a striker plate 47 mounted at one end by a shaft 48. Projecting from the plate 47 is an arm 49 to which there is secured the rod end of a piston cylinder assembly 50 whereby upon its operation the plate 47 is pivoted about the shaft 48 to a position where it extends above the top surface of the rollers 11. Upon raising of the stop 46, an oncoming billet will contact it after which the stop 47 is raised to be contacted by another billet. After this occurs, the rams are operated to transfer bot-h billets on to the gathering platform 14. After a predetermined number of billets have been so accumulated on the platform 14, they are transferred to the fingers 23 for stacking or piling in a manner now to be described.

A brief description of the operation of the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 will now be given. As mentioned, the billets are delivered on the table 10 and transferred onto the gathering platform 14 by the pusher rams 15 until there is a suflicient number accumulated to form one stack of the billet pile to be formed. In FIGURE 2 four billets make up one such stack of billets. After :a required number has been accumulated onto the platform 14, the pushers 15 are then operated to slide the accumulated billets from the gathering platform 14 onto the fingers 23 which have been previously raised to receive them. Once the billets are so disposed, the fingers are rotated by operation of piston cylinder assemblies 29 so as to dispose the billets from the horizontal to the vertical position. Once so disposed, the rams 34 are operated to transfer the row of billets onto the skids to :a station where they are accumulated with other rows of billets after which they are removed by a crane or other device.

It is to be pointed out that with respect to certain grades of workpieces, it is required that they slowly cool. According to the present invention, such slow cooling will be .obtained by virtue of the formation of a stacked pile of workpieces whereby the effective cooling surface area is greatly reduced.

In referring to the second embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGURE 4, there is secured to the 7 1 4 a shaft 26 'at its extreme ends complementary fingers 51. The fingers are arranged to engage the projection 25 of the fingers 23 such that a small space exists between the billets and finger 51. It is important to appreciate that the fingers 51 are spaced apart at a distance greater than the maximum length billet to be handled. Between these fingers there is provided tie beams 52 and 53 which are secured to a series of auxiliary fingers '54- that are arranged along the length of the billet so as to form a space or pocket into which the billets are transferred from the platform 14 and rests on the fingers 23. After a predetermined number of billets have passed onto the fingers 23, they are lowered during which the auxiliary fingers 5d serve to support the billets and prevent any tendency of the pile to fall over during lowering. After the pile has been lowered, the ram assembly 34 engage the billet-s and transfer them in the manner described above during which the billets engage the fingers 54 and rotate them about the shaft 26 to allow the billets to be transferred clear of the fingers 54 to the collecting area.

:In certain rolling mill and continuous casting operations, it is desirable to stack certain workpieces while, with respect to other workpieces, it may be desirable to handle them individually or in single layers. To accomplish individual and single layer workpiece handling according to the present invention, there is provided a plur'ality of removable skids 55 arranged to receive workpieces from the platform 14, it being appreciated that the fingers 23 will have been rotated to their lowered position to permit free transfer from the platform 14 to skids 55.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the features of the present invention may be employed with equal success in the unpiling or unstacking of workpieces. Such unpiling is commonly employed to feed workpieces into a heating furnace or the like wherein the workpieces are unpiled and transferred individually or in a single layer manner.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for piling and unpiling workpieces, such as, slabs, blooms, billets, bars and the like,

a roller table for receiving said workpieces,

a workpiece supporting member having a surface arranged to serve as an extension of said roller table and being of sufiicient length to support a plurality of workpieces,

means for rot'atably supporting said workpiece supporting member,

a transfer platform arranged between said roller table and said workpiece supporting member over which workpieces are transferred from said table onto said workpiece supporting member,

means for rotating said workpiece supporting member into 'an upper position representing an extension of the roller table and into a lower position approximately degrees disposed,

said workpiece supporting member comprising at least two cooperating arms, and

said arms being rotatably mounted about a common axis and spaced from each other so as to form a pocket for receiving workpieces to re rotated.

2. In an apparatus for piling and unpiling workpieces,

such as slabs, blooms, billets, bars and the like,

a roller table for receiving said workpieces,

a workpiece supporting member having a surface arranged to serve as an extension of said rollertable and being of suflicient length to support a plurality of workpieces,

means for rotatably supporting said workpiece supporting member,

a transfer platform arranged between said roller table and said workpiece supporting member over which workpieces are transferred from said table onto said workpiece supporting member,

means for rotating said workpiece supporting member into an upper position representing an extension of the roller table and into a lower position approximately 90 degrees disposed,

workpiece pushing means for moving workpieces to a storage station spaced from said workpiece supporting member after they have been rotated,

said pushing means having an inclined workpiece en- Ill gaging surface constructed and arranged to tilt the workpieces engaged thereby in a direction to cause them to rest against said inclined surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,698 5/1950 Von Beren 2146 3,054,515 9/1962 Nawman 2146 3,070,240 12/1962 Barriol 214-6 3,080,069 3/1963 Euwe 214-6 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

I. E. OLDS, G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiners. 

